VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Police Department is warning seniors to stay alert after an 87-year-old man was targeted in a distraction theft near Renfrew Street and East 1st Avenue on October 7.
Police say a man and a woman in a white sedan approached the victim. The woman shook his hand, placed fake jewelry on his wrist and removed his ring before leaving.
A distraction theft is a scam in which criminals use brief physical contact to confuse a victim while stealing jewelry or other valuables. In this type of scam, one suspect typically distracts the victim with conversation or a handshake while the other removes jewelry. Victims often do not realize what happened until the suspects have already left, which police say makes immediate reporting important.
VPD urges seniors to be cautious around strangers who seek physical contact or try to place objects on them. Anyone who believes they have been targeted should call 911 immediately.
The warning was updated October 9. Police have not announced any arrests, and Apna News has not independently confirmed the suspects’ identities.
Investigators continue to look into the incident. Apna News will update this article if police release suspect descriptions or make an arrest.
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(Source: Vancouver Police Department, October 2026)
